CAM E-NEWS 11/23/05

CAM e-News is supported in part by a grant from Associated Foundations, Inc.

FIND YOUR MUSE... Be a member of the California Association of Museums! CAM is the only professional association specifically addressing the needs and interests of California’s museums and relies on membership dues to support its programs and services. Membership benefits and fees are available at http://www.calmuseums.org/membership.F

MUSEUM ASSESSMENT PROGRAM APPLICATIONS NOW AVAILABLE
Applications for the February 15, 2006 postmark deadline for the Museum Assessment Program are now available at www.aam-us.org/museumresources/map/apply_howto.cfm. Applicants will be accepted into the program on a first-come, first-served basis. Under a new Cooperative Agreement with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the American Association of Museums (AAM) has streamlined the program, making it more accessible to the field. Changes this year include a decrease in the number of days (now 90) your museum must be open to be eligible, and museums with budgets under $125,000 can now participate for free. AAM covers all Surveyor travel costs (up to $850) and participants receive a $150 Resource Packet from the AAM Bookstore at the completion of their assessment. The Museum Assessment Program (MAP) is an assessment tool that can help your museum attain excellence in operations and planning through a confidential process of self-study and peer review. For more information, or to request a hard copy of the application, call 202/289-9118 or e-mail map@aam-us.org. Laura M. Plaisted Program Coordinator, Museum Assessment Program American Association of Museums.

EXHIBIT HALL, SPONSORSHIP, AND ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES STILL AVAILABLE FOR CAM 2006 CONFERENCE
Business associates, museum vendors, and consultants are invited to participate in the CAM conference to meet with current customers, display and advertise products and services to potential clients, and support networking opportunities that strengthen the California museum field. To view the Exhibit Hall, sponsorship, and advertising opportunities and the Exhibit Hall Floor Plan please click on http://www.calmuseums.org/cam2006/prospectus.html.

MUSEUMS AND THE WEB 2006
Nominations are now open for the 2006 Best of the Web competition, held every year in conjunction with Museums and the Web Conference. You are invited to nominate sites for consideration by an international panel of judges by using the on-line form at http://www.archimuse.com/mw2006/best/nominate.html. The categories are: On-line Exhibition, E-Services or E-Commerce, Education, Innovative or Experimental Application, Museum Professional's Site, and Research Site. Please review the category definitions at http://www.archimuse.com/mw2006/best/categoreis.html before you nominate a site using our on-line form. An international panel of judges, will present awards at the MW2006 conference on March 22-25, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  For more information, visit: http://www.archimuse.com/mw2006/.

PRELIMINARY REPORT OF THE 2005 ELECTION IMPACT ON THE ARTS
Americans for the Arts Action Fund has completed its 2005 report, showing that citizens voted overwhelmingly for both pro-arts ballot initiatives and candidates. Four out of four local ballot initiatives having a positive direct impact on the arts and arts education passed by large margins. The 2005 Election Impact on the Arts report contains details of these ballots initiatives. For the latest updates on elections and current federal legislation impacting the arts, go to www.capwiz.com/artsusa/issues/alert/?alertid=8233276&type=CU or to the E-Advocacy Center at: http://www.artsusa.org/.

ANDY WARHOL FOUNDATION GRANTS FOR CONTEMPORARY VISUAL ARTS
Grants are made on a project basis to curatorial programs at museums, artists' organizations and other cultural institutions to originate innovative and scholarly presentations of contemporary visual arts. Projects may include exhibitions, catalogues and other organizational activities directly related to these areas. The postmark deadlines for proposals are March 1 with notification on July 1, and September 1 with notification on January 1. For museum applicants requesting exhibition support, it is advisable to submit proposals for exhibitions that are scheduled to commence at least six months after the grant notification date. See http://www.warholfoundation.org/guidelns.htm for additional information and restrictions.

SMALL MUSEUM ADMINISTRATOR'S COMMITTEE IS OFFERING SCHOLARSHIP FOR 2006 AAM ANNUAL MEETING
The Small Museum Administrators' Committee (SMAC) is offering four $500 scholarships to assist in underwriting the costs to attend the 2006 American Association of Museums Annual Meeting scheduled for April 27 - May 1, 2006 in Boston, Massachusetts. Applicants must be current SMAC members through AAM and be employed in a museum with a budget under $350,000. Only one applicant per museum per year is eligible. To apply, submit a letter discussing your current responsibilities, activities, previous workshops, conferences, professional service and career goals. Indicate how attendance at the AAM conference will benefit both you and your museum. Please include a resume, a brochure from your museum, proof of museum's budget size, and a letter of support from your institution. Send three copies of your application postmarked by January 13, 2006 to Lisa Tremper Hanover, Director, Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art at Ursinus College, PO Box 1000, Collegeville, PA 19426. Faxed applications will not be accepted. The scholarship award will be announced and the winner notified by February 10, 2005. The scholarship recipient is expected to attend the SMAC Business Meeting and Luncheon at the AAM conference.

IMLS MAKES AWARD TO ONLINE COMPUTER LIBRARY CENTER, GETTY TRUST TO PLAN AND CO-HOST WEB-WISE CONFERENCES
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has made a $399,197 award to Online Computer Library Center, (OCLC) in conjunction with the J. Paul Getty Trust, to plan and co-host the 2006 and 2007 Web-Wise Conferences on Libraries and Museums in the Digital World. Web-Wise is a signature initiative of IMLS. The focus of each annual conference is on sharing the latest research and newest innovations in digital technology, exploring their potential impacts on library and museum services, and on promoting effective museum and library collaborations in the digital environment. For more information, go to: http://www.imls.gov/whatsnew/current/110705.htm.

W.K. KELLOGG FOUNDATION GRANTS
The goal of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Youth and Education Program is to improve learning outcomes for vulnerable children and youth. These grants focus on innovation-supporting new ideas about how to engage children and youth in learning and new ways to bring together community based systems that promote learning. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations with 501c(3) status. There are rolling deadlines for this grant. More information is available online at http://www.wkkf.org/Grants/Default.aspx.

NISSAN FOUNDATION SEEKING LETTERS OF INTENT FOR 2006
The Nissan Foundation is seeking grantees for its 2006 grant year and is now accepting Letters of Intent (LOI) from qualified applicants from Southern California. The mission of the Nissan Foundation is to support educational programs that celebrate and foster appreciation and understanding for our diverse cultural heritage. One of their areas of interest is "building community by valuing cultural diversity." Go to: www.nissanusa.com/insideNissan/CorporateOutreach/0,,,00.html#AS1341 for their priorities and requirements. The deadline to receive the LOI for the Nissan Foundation is Friday, November 23 at 5:00 p.m. (PST).

INTERNATIONAL PAPER COMPANY FUNDS ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS
International Paper supports communities where its employees live and work. Go to http://ipaper.know-where.com/ipaper_public//region/US/list/CA.html to view the 51 areas in California. The International Paper Company Foundation has awarded grants of more than $41 million since 1995. The three primary areas of support are education, employee involvement and new critical community needs. In 2003, more than half of the Foundation's outlays supported education, which is its primary focus. Environmental education, particularly those programs focused on young children, outdoor classrooms, forestry, and air and water quality programs is an emphasis. Go to www.internationalpaper.com/Our%20Company/Philanthropy/IP%20Foundation/Application%20Guidelin..html for additional information.

HENRY LUCE FOUNDATION FUNDS AMERICAN ART EXHIBITIONS
Any American museum evincing a commitment to American art is eligible to apply for a grant from the Henry Luce Foundation for an art exhibition. Intellectual merit and potential contribution to scholarship are the most important criteria for evaluating proposals. A prior letter of inquiry to ascertain the foundation's interest is required. Inquiry letters may be submitted at any time, but no later than March 1st for possible acceptance for the annual summer review of approximately 20 proposals. The annual deadline for proposals is June 15th. See www.hluce.org/4lfaafm.html for additional information.

J.C. DOWNING FOUNDATION GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
The J.C. Downing Foundation supports "innovative efforts and original projects that offer far-reaching gains and widespread results." Areas of support include education, preservation, fine arts, and a few others. The Foundation awards grants to qualified nonprofit organizations with explicit, identifiable needs-often funding the early stages of a project's development. Grantseekers must also be aware of what the J.C. Downing Foundation does not support as identified in their "Areas of Exclusion." There are no restrictions on grant amounts. Typical awards are between $5,000 and $50,000. See www.jcdowning.org/funding/grantmaking.htm to view restrictions and application procedures.

IMLS FOCUSES ON ENGAGING YOUTH IN MUSEUMS AND LIBRARIES
The IMLS launched a new initiative focusing on America's youth, underscoring the importance of creating communities where children have opportunities to learn and belong. Museums and libraries are encouraged to work with one another while highlighting the recently-released "Community Guide to Helping America's Youth" (http://www.helpingamericasyouth.gov). The guide helps communities assess their needs and resources, build partnerships, and find program designs that can be replicated. In the coming year, IMLS will place a spotlight on the role of Museums and Libraries Engaging America's Youth. An HTML version of IMLS' press release is available at:http://www.imls.gov/whatsnew/current/110805.htm.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY FOR SUMMER 2006 TO STUDY BRITISH COUNTRY HOUSE
Apply to the 2006 Attingham Summer School for study of the British country house in England. The three-week program includes private visits to country houses and lectures on their art collections, landscape, preservation and interpretation. Past participants include curators, academics, conservators, and other arts professionals. www.attinghamtrust.org for application information or e-mail questions, contact Jefferey Herr at: Jeffrey.Herr@cad.lacity.org, or Department of Cultural Affairs 201 North Figueroa Street, Suite 1400 Los Angeles, California 90012 phone: 213/202.5542

Get the Word Out in CAM e-News!
Please email the CAM office at cam@calmuseums.org to list any announcements pertaining to professional development programs, grant opportunities, or related opportunities in future editions of CAM e-News and on the CAM web site. Since it is not possible to include all the details of an announcement, please include a phone number, web site address, or email address so interested parties can get additional information. Please do not exceed a limit of 150 words per listing. All announcements are subject to editing by CAM personnel.